I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

On Apr 14, 9:32*am, "trailer" wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

Use less water...? Probably not much unless you're currently over-
watering the lawn.

A sprinkler system will take money out of your pocket, not put it in.
Depending on your locale, you might be required to have a backflow
device and yearly inspections, plus start up and shut down costs if
you're in an area where temperatures drop below freezing in winter.

Sprinkler systems are a convenience item and save you time. Since
time is money, it would free you up to go earn more money.

The big box stores have zoned timers that allow you to water multiple
zones on a schedule from your existing sillcock. Google "Toro ECXTRA"
for an example.

R

trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.


Hi,
You will save water.

On Apr 14, 9:32*am, "trailer" wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

Go green. Plant native species and don't water them at all. It saves
time, money and the environment.

If you plant the right species and don't water them, their root
systems will adapt. If you water them all of the time, they don't
grow sufficient roots.

And don't be afraid of a weed or two. It's a lawn, not a carpet.

Call your local cooperative extension agent for water-free suggestions.

On Apr 14, 10:45*am, Tony Hwang wrote:
trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

Hi,
You will save water.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


I would suspect that in most cases instead of saving water, you will
use a lot MORE water. Relying on hose type sprinklers means there is
usually work involved, ie rolling out the hose, placing the
sprinklers, moving them, taking them away to mow, etc. Which I would
suspect leads to the lawn not getting watered as much as if it's on a
automatic set schedule with no effort.

First thing I'd do is calculate how much water you need and where it's
coming from. It takes about an inch a week of water to irrigate an
average lawn. More in high temps or with soil that dries out
faster. If you are on muncipal water and have to pay for it, that
can be a big factor and it may be cost justified to put in an
irrigation well too.

If you do want a nice green lawn all season, then an inground system
is definitely the way to go though.

On Apr 14, 10:51*am, Pat wrote:
On Apr 14, 9:32*am, "trailer" wrote:

I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

Go green. *Plant native species and don't water them at all. *It saves
time, money and the environment.

If you plant the right species and don't water them, their root
systems will adapt. *If you water them all of the time, they don't
grow sufficient roots.

Don't water them? Them what? Since he has a lawn, the them would
be turf grass. Certainly there are turf grasses that are more
drought tolerant, but if he wants a green lawn, he's going to have to
water.

Or are you suggesting he let his lawn grow up in native weeds and go
uncut?




And don't be afraid of a weed or two. *It's a lawn, not a carpet.

Call your local cooperative extension agent for water-free suggestions.

"trailer" wrote in message
...
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only)
yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water
my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted
cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.



I can't say if you would use more or less water but in my experience you
will probably end up with a better-looking lawn and save yourself some
labor. I had the misfortune of inheriting two already-installed sprinkler
systems on two different houses and both were poorly done. The ONLY pop-up
type sprinklers that I was satisfied with were the Rain Bird pop-up impulse
sprinklers. They can (depending upon the size of your lawn) be placed
around the perimeter thus eliminating any sprinklers hidden in the grass
which is especially nice if you play on the grass. Do all the pressure and
flow testing that they suggest in the brochures from the sprinkler companies
and calculate accordingly and use the 3/4" SCH 40 PVC pipe and 3/4"
anti-siphon valves and resist the temptation to save money on cheap pipe or
smaller valves. I don't remember which electronic timers I had but neither
were a problem. I started out watering "x" number of minutes per day and
"x" number of days per week and simply adjusted the watering time according
to how the grass was doing.

On Apr 14, 8:32*am, "trailer" wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

How much water you use is up to you and how you program the schedule.
I suggest you also get the rain sensor installed, this way the
sprinkler will not run if it is raining outside. I think you can even
get ground moisture sensors now to prevent the schedule from running
if the ground already has enough moisture. Being in TX you wont have
to get it blown out every year for freezing so your seasonal
maintenance will probably be zero. It is a helluva lot easier than
hoses. The time and effort the sprinkler system has saved me is worth
more than the water, but then again I live in Great Lakes area where
water is pretty cheap and in some towns still free. Time is money and
dragging hoses is not something I like to do on weekends.

trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.


I think the main advantage is convenience. You install it with a
controller, set up the timer, and forget about it. As opposed to
dragging the hose and sprinkler around, and turning it on and off.
Also helps if you're on an extended vacation - you won't come back to
a brown lawn.

They are not that difficult to install yourself. The Toro and Rainbird
websites have a lot of good information for the DIY'er. You can save
yourself a lot of digging by renting a trencher for half a day. Gluing
the pipes together is not something that requires a lot of skill. I
did my back yard - twice. Once before having a pool built, and again
after the pool construction tore everything up.

Jerry

"trailer" wrote in message
...
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only)
yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water
my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted
cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.


something else to consider to save money (if you have combined water and
sewer bills) is to have a 2nd water meter installed only on the sprinkler
system. That way you won't be paying the sewer portion of the 2nd bill
since you won't be using it. Of course, you'll have to check with your
utility company to be sure they offer that as a possibility.

jc

trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only)
yard. I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about
the advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to
water my yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system
would provide a better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The
quoted cost for installed system is well above $2K from a respected
company.


No, it won't save you money or - probably - water. It *will* save work
since you can set watering at the desired frequencies and it will be done
without further intervention by you. It might save water depending on how
much andoften you now hand water.



--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

In article ,
"Joe" wrote:


something else to consider to save money (if you have combined water and
sewer bills) is to have a 2nd water meter installed only on the sprinkler
system. That way you won't be paying the sewer portion of the 2nd bill
since you won't be using it. Of course, you'll have to check with your
utility company to be sure they offer that as a possibility.

jc

Also check see if need. Our utility takes a %age (I think half but I
don't remember for sure) off of the bill to reflect that part of the
water that doesn't go into the sewer during the summer (may to October
IIRC).

--
If you¹re going to sin, sin against God,
not the bureaucracy; God will forgive you
but the bureaucracy won¹t.
‹Hyman G. Rickover

In article ,
"dadiOH" wrote:

No, it won't save you money or - probably - water. It *will* save work
since you can set watering at the desired frequencies and it will be done
without further intervention by you. It might save water depending on how
much andoften you now hand water.

Or how often you get busy and forget to turn off, move the sprinkler.
This was the big savings for me....

--
If you¹re going to sin, sin against God,
not the bureaucracy; God will forgive you
but the bureaucracy won¹t.
‹Hyman G. Rickover

trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.


I would not do it any other way. Coverage is uniform and and only where
you want it. No hoses to drag around. Nothing to do but check it once
in a while. Easy to maintain. With proper mowing (not too short, esp.
in hot, dry weather) you might save money. If you have spare cash, you
can even install a tank for liquid fertilizer and fertilize through the
irrigation system. I checked those out for our condo - don't recall the
cost, but it wasn't horribly expensive. If lawn care is your favorite
sport, then keep the hose.

Don't run mower over sprinkler heads and you won't have a lot of
repairs. If doing repairs, be sure to keep soil out of the line so you
don't clog up heads. If you need to make repairs and you have fire
ants, spread a little Amdro around the nests couple of days before
working....BTDT.

On Apr 14, 11:13*am, wrote:
On Apr 14, 10:51*am, Pat wrote:



On Apr 14, 9:32*am, "trailer" wrote:

I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

Go green. *Plant native species and don't water them at all. *It saves
time, money and the environment.

If you plant the right species and don't water them, their root
systems will adapt. *If you water them all of the time, they don't
grow sufficient roots.

Don't water them? * Them what? * Since he has a lawn, the them would
be turf grass. * Certainly there are turf grasses that are more
drought tolerant, but if he wants a green lawn, he's going to have to
water.

Or are you suggesting he let his lawn grow up in native weeds and go
uncut?

I am suggesting the he, and others, should consider planing lawns
using native varieties of grasses that suite the local climate and
don't need watering. One does not HAVE to water a lawn once the grass
has taken hold if you plant the right variety of grass. If you water
your lawn, you develop roots that are short because they don't need to
go into the ground vary far to get water. If you cut back or
eliminate your watering, the proper grass will develop roots that are
deeper and better able to extract water from the ground. Contact your
Cooperative Extension agent to find what will work for you and where
you live.

Watering grass, once it's set, just wastes water. In some areas of
the country, who cares there's plenty of it. But in those areas, you
don't need to water your lawn anyway. In areas without much water,
wasting water is a real concern and therefore it probably shouldn't be
used for lawns.




And don't be afraid of a weed or two. *It's a lawn, not a carpet.

Call your local cooperative extension agent for water-free suggestions.

Pat wrote:
On Apr 14, 9:32 am, "trailer" wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

Go green. Plant native species and don't water them at all. It saves
time, money and the environment.

If you plant the right species and don't water them, their root
systems will adapt. If you water them all of the time, they don't
grow sufficient roots.

And don't be afraid of a weed or two. It's a lawn, not a carpet.

Call your local cooperative extension agent for water-free suggestions.

"Native" grasses might be a code violation - they would be where I live.
PROPER mowing and watering can save a lot - grass cut too short dries
out more quickly and encourages weed growth. There should never be a
need to water more often than twice a week - once should do unless
extremely hot and dry. Florida grasses can be allowed to wilt a little,
and they are fine with once a week. Don't know about Texas grasses,
though. I do know an awful lot of people waste tremendous amounts of
work, chemicals and water by not following correct practices for lawn grass.

Whether you will save depends on how you currently water, how your
sprinkler system is designed and used, and the cost of water.

One advantage is that it can be designed to not water certain areas,
like paved driveways and sidewalks. You could do that yourself, but I
think most people don't have appropriate sprinklers to do it, so they
waste water.

I think the biggest savings is that you can set it to water at a time of
day when you won't lose much to evaporation. Before I had my system
installed, I usually watered once a week (absent rain), rather heavily,
and during a time I was up, so I lost a lot to evaporation. With my
system installed, I water twice a week (again, absent rain), but for a
shorter time, and before the sun comes up, so the water soaks down to
the roots, rather then being evaporated off the leaves.

In addition to saving my time, the system waters when I'm out of town,
so I don't come home to near-dead grass. And if you have a garden, a
sprinkler system will keep it happy and improve your harvest.

Incidentally, a well designed system will have an automatic drain, so it
doesn't have to be blown out and serviced before winter hits. Of
course, a lot of installers don't bring that up, as they make easy money
with their fall servicing.

My water utility has a program if you register your sprinkler system
where they reduce the sewerage charge during the sprinkling season to
what you pay in the non-sprinkling season. I think that is becoming
more common, but you might check, as that could affect your operating costs.

Its a costly project, and not suitable for everyone, but I'm very happy
that I had it put in. One suggestion, if you have it done, ask them to
put in a few extra valves on the manifold. It doesn't cost much, and it
makes it easy to add new zones if you find the need. I added a drip
watering zone for my flower beds; it was easy since the valve was
already there.

trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

On Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:37:58 -0700 (PDT), Pat
wrote:

In areas without much water,
wasting water is a real concern and therefore it probably shouldn't be
used for lawns.

My water company* paid $2.00 a sq ft, for me to remove the lawn turf.
11 tons of rock, capped sprinkler lines, weed cloth, photos, rules,
inspections, etc. They sent me a check.

Plants and trees are on drip lines, timed schedules. We have a yearly
calendar, and change from once or twice a week, up to every day in the
summer months.

New construction homes cannot have turf lawns anymore. The option is
artificial grass.

I never looked back after taking out most of my lawn.

http://www.snwa.com/html/

SNWA launches Water Smart Sprinkler Study
The Water Authority tests emerging sprinkler technologies that use
less water and improve the health of your lawn.

On Apr 14, 2:37*pm, Pat wrote:
On Apr 14, 11:13*am, wrote:





On Apr 14, 10:51*am, Pat wrote:

On Apr 14, 9:32*am, "trailer" wrote:

I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

Go green. *Plant native species and don't water them at all. *It saves
time, money and the environment.

If you plant the right species and don't water them, their root
systems will adapt. *If you water them all of the time, they don't
grow sufficient roots.

Don't water them? * Them what? * Since he has a lawn, the them would
be turf grass. * Certainly there are turf grasses that are more
drought tolerant, but if he wants a green lawn, he's going to have to
water.

Or are you suggesting he let his lawn grow up in native weeds and go
uncut?

I am suggesting the he, and others, should consider planing lawns
using native varieties of grasses that suite the local climate and
don't need watering. *


You don't need native grasses to do that. There are plenty of
drought tolerant turf grasses available that are suited for lawns.


One does not HAVE to water a lawn once the grass
has taken hold if you plant the right variety of grass. *If you water
your lawn, you develop roots that are short because they don't need to
go into the ground vary far to get water.

The turf won't have short roots if you water it properly, which is to
do it deeply once or twice a week.



*If you cut back or
eliminate your watering, the proper grass will develop roots that are
deeper and better able to extract water from the ground. *Contact your
Cooperative Extension agent to find what will work for you and where
you live.

Yeah, but most people think it looks like hell when it goes dormant.




Watering grass, once it's set, just wastes water. *In some areas of
the country, who cares there's plenty of it. *

Apparently you do, because you told him to stop watering his, without
regard to how much water is or isn't available.


But in those areas, you
don't need to water your lawn anyway. *In areas without much water,
wasting water is a real concern and therefore it probably shouldn't be
used for lawns.

On Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:33:48 -0400, "
wrote:

Florida grasses can be allowed to wilt a little,
and they are fine with once a week. Don't know about Texas grasses,
though. I do know an awful lot of people waste tremendous amounts of
work, chemicals and water by not following correct practices for lawn grass.

I was talking with the boss about bass fishing and when we go fishing.

Me: "I gotta cut the grass".

Boss: " I cut it down; trying, to kill the roots". " I hate cutting
grass."

On Tue 14 Apr 2009 06:32:41a, trailer told us...

I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only)
yard. I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water
my yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would
provide a better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted
cost for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

It's a good thing, no matter how simple or elaborate the system. When we
lived in NE Ohio we had a full yard system installed that included various
types of sprinkler heads for all the turf, specialized heads for shrubbery,
and drip irrigation for certain types of plants. The system was fully
automated, including a moisture sensor to determine whether whater was
needed, a rain sensor to prevent the system from firing up during rain, and
a 2nd separate water meter to avoid paying sewage charges for the water
used outside the house. As elaborate as this system was, it still saved us
money as well as providing the perfect watering solutioin for everything.
We actually usued a lot less water.

You can make it as simple as you want, watering only your grass, and
operated on a schedule by a timer. The company that installs it will know
how to layout the sprinkler heads for best efficiency and savings.


--
Wayne Boatwright
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In terms of fast food and deep understanding of the culture of fast
food, I'm your man. ~Bill Gates

On Apr 14, 6:48*pm, wrote:
On Apr 14, 2:37*pm, Pat wrote:



On Apr 14, 11:13*am, wrote:

On Apr 14, 10:51*am, Pat wrote:

On Apr 14, 9:32*am, "trailer" wrote:

I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

Go green. *Plant native species and don't water them at all. *It saves
time, money and the environment.

If you plant the right species and don't water them, their root
systems will adapt. *If you water them all of the time, they don't
grow sufficient roots.

Don't water them? * Them what? * Since he has a lawn, the them would
be turf grass. * Certainly there are turf grasses that are more
drought tolerant, but if he wants a green lawn, he's going to have to
water.

Or are you suggesting he let his lawn grow up in native weeds and go
uncut?

I am suggesting the he, and others, should consider planing lawns
using native varieties of grasses that suite the local climate and
don't need watering. *

You don't need native grasses to do that. * There are plenty of
drought tolerant turf grasses available that are suited for lawns.

One does not HAVE to water a lawn once the grass
has taken hold if you plant the right variety of grass. *If you water
your lawn, you develop roots that are short because they don't need to
go into the ground vary far to get water.

The turf won't have short roots if you water it properly, which is to
do it deeply once or twice a week.

*If you cut back or

eliminate your watering, the proper grass will develop roots that are
deeper and better able to extract water from the ground. *Contact your
Cooperative Extension agent to find what will work for you and where
you live.

Yeah, but most people think it looks like hell when it goes dormant.



Watering grass, once it's set, just wastes water. *In some areas of
the country, who cares there's plenty of it. *

Apparently you do, because you told him to stop watering his, without
regard to how much water is or isn't available.

But in those areas, you
don't need to water your lawn anyway. *In areas without much water,
wasting water is a real concern and therefore it probably shouldn't be
used for lawns.

He said he's in northern Texas. That's not exactly Seattle.

On Apr 14, 8:32*am, "trailer" wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

I also live in northern Texas and I wouldn't be without my sprinkler
system. A well designed system will not only use less water than your
water hose sprinkler, it will give you a consistant watering that is
in line with the needs of your yard and plants. In addition, you can
ensure that your watering will be done at the optimum time of day to
keep it from being evaporated by the sun before it can soak in.

I moved into my current hose about three years ago and the sprinkler
system was in total disrepair and I was forced to use the hose system
for a couple of years. Finally, last summer, I took off a week from
work and dug up the yard to locate all the valves and replace them
along with about 50% of the lines. This was only after watching
several hundred dollars worth of new shrubs die because I couldn't get
the water to them. Since I repaired the system, the landscaping is
now doing great as is the yard.

SO, YES it is worth it.

On Apr 14, 5:20*pm, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:37:58 -0700 (PDT), Pat

wrote:
In areas without much water,
wasting water is a real concern and therefore it probably shouldn't be
used for lawns.

My water company* paid $2.00 a sq ft, for me to remove the lawn turf.
11 tons of rock, capped sprinkler lines, weed cloth, photos, rules,
inspections, etc. They sent me a check.

Plants and trees are on drip lines, timed schedules. We have a yearly
calendar, and change from once or twice a week, up to every day in the
summer months.

New construction homes cannot have turf lawns anymore. The option is
artificial grass.

I never looked back after taking *out most of my lawn.

http://www.snwa.com/html/

SNWA launches Water Smart Sprinkler Study
The Water Authority tests emerging sprinkler technologies that use
less water and improve the health of your lawn.

Nevada is NOT Northern Texas. Your solution make perfect sense for
Nevada but not so for everywhere.

On Apr 15, 12:58*pm, Pat wrote:
On Apr 15, 11:01*am, BobR wrote:





On Apr 14, 8:32*am, "trailer" wrote:

I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. *I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.

I also live in northern Texas and I wouldn't be without my sprinkler
system. *A well designed system will not only use less water than your
water hose sprinkler, it will give you a consistant watering that is
in line with the needs of your yard and plants. *In addition, you can
ensure that your watering will be done at the optimum time of day to
keep it from being evaporated by the sun before it can soak in.

I moved into my current hose about three years ago and the sprinkler
system was in total disrepair and I was forced to use the hose system
for a couple of years. *Finally, last summer, I took off a week from
work and dug up the yard to locate all the valves and replace them
along with about 50% of the lines. *This was only after watching
several hundred dollars worth of new shrubs die because I couldn't get
the water to them. *Since I repaired the system, the landscaping is
now doing great as is the yard.

SO, YES it is worth it.

I'm glad it's worth it to you, but to me it would be a complete
waste. *Where I live, in small-town America over on the edge of
Appalachia, no one has any such system. *It would be viewed as
wasteful and conceited. *And for the first month, everyone would stand
in the road outside of your house waiting for it to come on -- then
telling you how nice it is while privately saying how you have more
money than brains and that they've never seen anything like it
before. *Around here, the lawns get watered when it rains. *Gardens,
on the other hand

Then obviously this question wasn't directed to you. The question was
posed by someone living in North Texas which just happens to be where
I live as well. Around here, you either water on a regular basis or
watch your lawn die and your foundations crack during the months of
100 degree plus days when we don't see a drop of rain.

By the way, your description of Appalachia makes it sound as if
everyone there is a bunch of ignorant morons who clearly don't need a
lawn sprinkler...if they even know what a lawn is.

When I put in my house, I put in a sprinkler system. I love it! No more
hoses. I can water at night, so you don't have to use as much water. I
also set it up for my garden. I have higher sprinklers on posts for my
garden. This way I can plant what ever I want and not worry about
watering it either. So now I don't waste work, because it did not get
watered.


--
Dymphna
Message origin: www.TRAVEL.com

"trailer" wrote in message
...
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only)
yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water
my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted
cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.


We have our system for over 20 years and we do not have any regrets. It is
very convenient and you can turn it on automatically at anytime you want.
To save money and water, we turn it on at night. Depending on the size of
the lawn, you will be constantly checking the time and moving your sprinkler
if you do it manually. The downside of an automatic system is - because of
our cold winter here,
we have to use a compressor to blow off the water on the lines before
winter.
And because of the frost and the shifting of soil, some sprinkle heads may
be moved
up higher out of the soil and you can damage it with your mower. So you
will have to weigh
the pros and cons depending on your situation.

"trailer" wrote in message

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted
cost for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

$2000?!

Some PVC pipe, tees, and sprinkler heads and valves wouldn't cost more
than a couple of hundred dollars. Rent a trencher to dig the trenches.

Don't skimp on the number of sprinklers. You'll get better coverage with
a lot of sprinklers at lower volume than a lot of sprinklers at higher
volume.

Dig deep enough that you can have longer pop-ups.

On May 13, 5:41*pm, SMS wrote:
"trailer" wrote in message
Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? *The quoted
cost for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

$2000?!

Some PVC pipe, tees, and sprinkler heads and valves wouldn't cost more
than a couple of hundred dollars.

You left out the backflow preventer, electro valve distribution
manifolds, underground boxes to put the valves in, electronic
controller, rain sensor, wiring, copper plumbing as required to
connect to the home water supply, possible permit fees....

Plus we don't have any idea of how large an area he's doing, how
accessible it is to get to the water supply in the house, etc. so
there isn't much basis to say that $2000 is too high a price. He
should definitely get more quotes though.



Rent a trencher to dig the trenches.

How much is that going to cost, delivered to the site? Plus, the
pros around here don't trench, they have eqpt that pulls it, without
ripping up the existing turf nearly as much. And it assumes the OP
has the necessary skills to run the thing. How about if he has a
paved driveway that has to be crossed a couple times? The pros have
the gear to do that in 10 mins.



Don't skimp on the number of sprinklers. You'll get better coverage with
a lot of sprinklers at lower volume than a lot of sprinklers at higher
volume.

Which assumes the guy has the skills to figure all this out
successfully. Don;t get me wrong. Some people could do this and
save money. But I do a lot of my own work and 15 years ago, when I
put in one, I contracted it out. The going rate back then in NJ I
think was around $1600 for a 7 zone system and I think it was money
well spent to avoid a lot of work.




Dig deep enough that you can have longer pop-ups.

On Apr 14, 9:32*am, "trailer" wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

One tip that I received when I was redoing my sprinkler system was, if
you are using municipal water, to have a separate meter installed for
the sprinkler system because sewer fees are affected by the amount of
water you use. If the sprinklers are on the same meter, the sewer
fees will go up along with the water usage fees. Of course this is
true whether you have a system put in or continue to water with your
current method.

trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.


If you want to save water then the best move is to stop trying to force
grass to grow where it normally doesn't by changing the landscaping to
whatever occurs naturally in your area.

wrote:
On Apr 14, 2:37 pm, Pat wrote:
On Apr 14, 11:13 am, wrote:





On Apr 14, 10:51 am, Pat wrote:
On Apr 14, 9:32 am, "trailer" wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.
Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.
Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.
Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.
I live in northern Texas.
Go green. Plant native species and don't water them at all. It saves
time, money and the environment.
If you plant the right species and don't water them, their root
systems will adapt. If you water them all of the time, they don't
grow sufficient roots.
Don't water them? Them what? Since he has a lawn, the them would
be turf grass. Certainly there are turf grasses that are more
drought tolerant, but if he wants a green lawn, he's going to have to
water.
Or are you suggesting he let his lawn grow up in native weeds and go
uncut?
I am suggesting the he, and others, should consider planing lawns
using native varieties of grasses that suite the local climate and
don't need watering.


You don't need native grasses to do that. There are plenty of
drought tolerant turf grasses available that are suited for lawns.


One does not HAVE to water a lawn once the grass
has taken hold if you plant the right variety of grass. If you water
your lawn, you develop roots that are short because they don't need to
go into the ground vary far to get water.

The turf won't have short roots if you water it properly, which is to
do it deeply once or twice a week.



If you cut back or
eliminate your watering, the proper grass will develop roots that are
deeper and better able to extract water from the ground. Contact your
Cooperative Extension agent to find what will work for you and where
you live.

Yeah, but most people think it looks like hell when it goes dormant.



Watering grass, once it's set, just wastes water. In some areas of
the country, who cares there's plenty of it.

Apparently you do, because you told him to stop watering his, without
regard to how much water is or isn't available.


Sure but one of his stated goals was to "use less water"


But in those areas, you
don't need to water your lawn anyway. In areas without much water,
wasting water is a real concern and therefore it probably shouldn't be
used for lawns.

"George" wrote in message
...
trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only)
yard. I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water
my yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would
provide a better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted
cost for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.
If you want to save water then the best move is to stop trying to force
grass to grow where it normally doesn't by changing the landscaping to
whatever occurs naturally in your area.

Not too many assumptions being made here.....

trailer wrote:
I'm currently considering a lawn sprinkler system for my front (only) yard.
I would have this installed through a lawn sprinkler company.

Since I've never had a lawn sprinkler system, I was wondering about the
advantages/disadvantages of installing and using one.

Currently, I just use the regular type sprinklers (using hoses) to water my
yard. I would expect that an underground sprinkler system would provide a
better way of covering my yard.

Would a sprinkler system save me money and use less water? The quoted cost
for installed system is well above $2K from a respected company.

I live in northern Texas.



The first time you water without dragging out hoses, you likely will
decide it was worth it. You might save water, but you can also save
water with proper mowing. Mow too short, lawn dries out much faster.
Water early morning (some lawns get fungus problems if wet all night).
Water deeply enough, rather than more often using less water -
encourages deeper root growth and takes longer to dry out.
Rocky soil, or easy to dig?

There are good websites, Jess Stryker's being the best I have seen. He
goes into great detail, explaining all the considerations. He gives
some product advice. Lots of stuff to consider before going ahead -
well water or municipal? Pressure. Area to cover. Is the landscaping
finished or a work in progress? Don't want to spend $2k and then plant
a tree that will block some sprinklers (makes for strips of brown, dried
grass in the lawn).

Toro and others will design the layout for you:
http://www.torodesign.com/iguide2/printable_pages.html